Why Paine is certain that 37-year-old Khawaja has plenty of cricket left in him

Former Australia Test captain Tim Paine thinks that Usman Khawaja could easily keep playing for his country for another couple of years.

While the opener is 37 and turns 38 in December, Paine thinks that his form over almost the last three years as an opener proves that he still has plenty left in the tank.

The left-hander has been Australia’s rock at the top of the order since shifting to that position at the end of the 2021/22 Ashes series and averages 54.04 when he’s at the top of the innings.

While Paine understands that he’ll need to be replaced if he gets injured, he thinks that Khawaja is still batting as well as he ever has deep into his 30s and tried to calm down any talk of the veteran retiring anytime soon.

“I can't believe we're even talking about this,” Paine said on SEN Tassie.

“If he gets injured, obviously you have to make a call. But someone said the other day, ‘Maybe Usman's only got another six months or another series in him’ … he's been nearly the best player in the world, particularly as an opening batter for the last two years.

“With his age in cricket, in particular as a batter, is just a number. He doesn't look like he's lost reflex, his eyes are good and he’s batting as well as he’s ever batted.

“From what I'm seeing right now, I think Usman can play for another year or two at least.”

While Paine is in no hurry to move Khawaja on, he thinks that NSW’s Sam Konstas is looming as his long-term replacement.

Given that Konstas is already proving himself as a Sheffield Shield star at 19, he thinks that he’ll be primed to step into Khawaja’s shoes once he’s ready to step away in a couple of years.

“But if something was to happen in the short-term, I think we've got our answer,” Paine said.

“Out of the four guys that are playing right now, I think they would lean to a Sam Konstas if something were to happen to a second opener.

“I said to you last week, he played a few shots last week that you can tell he's going to be a gun, you can tell he’s going to handle the occasion.

“The timing for me looks to be lining up that he would be the one who would replace Usman when he decides to call time.

“But hopefully he has a clean bill of health during the summer because he's going to be really important for us.”